INS troubles, Sorum trial, sandwiches

I sympathize with the Yinglings in their dealings with immigration authorities ("'Why Is It So Difficult?'" 6/30/06). The Immigration and Naturalization Service is probably more inept than the Federal Emergency Management Agency. I attempted to bring a woman I have known for almost seven years to America. I met her while visiting the Philippines and have visited her several times and called her hundreds of times. She developed cancer, and I have paid her medical expenses.

I followed the advice of the immigration specialist from U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin's office and filed for a finance visa. I included a letter from her doctor, a letter from a doctor here that said he would accept her as a patient, several phone bills and Western Union receipts, an explanation that my health insurance would include her, and a copy of an envelope from her postmarked January 2001. I requested that this be expedited. Not only did the INS not expedite it, but it was almost five months before they responded.

My request was denied because I had not seen her in person during the past two years. This requirement can be waived, but the INS refused, even though I explained that I had two back operations and had scheduled a third by the time I received the letter of denial. As Mr. Yingling said of the INS: "They treat you like dirt."

Donald J. Thompson

10-2 for acquittal

I found myself so upset by the recent Paul O'Leary letter (7/28/06) regarding the Tracy Sorum trial, I felt I had to respond.

The assertion that Tracy Sorum took his eyes off the road for a full 12 seconds, presumably at 40 miles per hour, was never presented as evidence at the trial. An accident reconstructionist estimated that it would take 12 seconds for Sorum's vehicle to travel at 25 mph from Point A to Point B, where he hit Jessica Bullen on her bicycle. No one could say with any certainty exactly how long Sorum's eyes were off the road.

The outcome of the trial was not about Stephen Eisenberg convincing some jurors that this was just an accident. Mr. Eisenberg had nothing to prove. His job was to defend his client, who was presumed innocent. On the other hand, the state had to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, all elements of the criminally negligent homicide charge. Most jurors felt that the district attorney failed to meet his burden of proof.

In the end, the D.A. was only able to persuade some jurors that Tracy Sorum's negligence was criminal. The final vote, after 12 exhausting hours of deliberation, was 10-2 to acquit.

Kelly J. Young

Good eating

When considering Madison's many sandwich choices, only one place really comes to my mind ' Mildred's Sandwich Shop, located smack-dab in the middle of the 800 block of East Johnson ("Tom Laskin Searches for Gold Between Two Slices of Bread," 6/23/06). Mildred's is and has been a local tradition for many years. Thank God for my personal favorite ' an unpresumptuous country ham and cheddar on white bread with mayo and lettuce, a bag of chips and a dill pickle spear. All washed down with a cold bottle of Orangina.